HOW CHINEDU NSOFOR CHANGED THE NARRATIVES AT UNN THROUGH HIS WORK WHILE IN SCHOOL INITIATIVE
~By Don Peter Okoro
Chinedu Afamuefuna Nsofor is a highly respected, celebrated and dynamic Social Worker, Successful Entrepreneur, Life Coach, Much Sought After Technocrat and Intellectual Giant. Through his Foundation, the Work While In School Foundation, he has brought succour and comfort to countless number of students from different Secondary and Tertiary Institutions across Nigeria, especially the University of Nigeria Nsukka ( UNN). His passion to see Students working while still Schooling has enabled him to equip and empower many students, not just to be self employed, but to become Employers of Labour as well. Thus his very popular Work While in School Programmes recorded testimonies of how ordinary students were turned into student millionaires within a short time by the help of God. His contributions to the progress and human capacity development of the students of UNN during his Undergraduate days as a Student Leader are still subjects of discussion many years after. Among his numerous contributions to UNN was his ability to host not less than 7 Conferences and Programmes that positively impacted on the lives of his fellow students and projected UNN in the Frontline of Extracurricular and Human Resource Excellence. As the Igwe of the Faculty of Social Sciences UNN, he initiated and implemented a 7 Day African Education and ICT Conference in 2010, while in his second year at UNN at a very tender age of 21years old. Through this Conference, Chinedu Nsofor attracted prominent Nigerian Leaders to UNN, among whom was the then Chairman of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission who was also a former Presidential Aspirant and presently the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu CFR, Present also at the occasion were the former Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University ( UNIZIK), Prof. Pita Ejiofor and the CEO of Peace Mass Transit Ltd. Dr. Sam Onyishi to mention but a few. His keynote resource person flew into the country from the United Kingdom just to facilitate on the programme. This Conference was a partnership project between the Work While In School Foundation and the Institute of African Studies (UNN) and his office as the Igwe of the Faculty of Social Sciences UNN. The Conference served as a platform to train over 3000 students of UNN in Entrepreneurship in 7 Faculties of UNN with the Deans of the respective Faculties declaring Lecture Free Days for the Training. The 7 Days Conference went down in history as the biggest Work While In School Conference in the annals of UNN as the Conference attracted a N5 Million Scholarship Fund for students and also a N50 Million donation to the Institute of African Studies UNN both by a renowned Philanthropist and CEO of Peace Mass Transit Dr. Sam Onyishi. Chinedu Nsofor also, in his final year initiated and implemented another Work While In School Conference. This particular one was organized by the Work While In School Foundation and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Research UNN. Happy with the Innovation, the Centre embodied the Work While In School Initiative of Chinedu Nsofor as a compulsory entrepreneurship programme for all 3rd year students of UNN by signing a Memorandum Of Understanding ( MOU) with him for partnership to implement the project in UNN and Nationwide. Thus Chinedu Nsofor broke a Record in UNN by becoming the first undergraduate student to sign an MOU with the University. This Conference attracted another 2,500 students. Chinedu Nsofor through this Conference once again attracted prominent Nigerian Leaders to UNN including Prof. Osita Ogbu ( Former Economic Adviser To The President and a Former Minister for National Planning) who was the Guest Speaker, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu CFR was again present. Chief Iwuanyanwu was so moved by the Impact made through the Conference and by the sight of such a large gathering of students which he described as the largest student gathering he had ever witnessed, that he announced to institute the Iwuanyanwu Entrepreneurship Development Foundation, which was estimated to cost him over N100 Million. While still in his final year at UNN, an Organization, the Great Minds International, identified Chinedu Nsofor as an exceptional Student Leader and decided to celebrate him alongside the Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences,Prof. Emma Ezeani as they rounded off their tenures as Igwe FOSSSA and Dean of Social Sciences UNN respectively. The Organization therefore partnered with the Work While In School Foundation and the Faculty of Social Sciences to Organize a colourful Global impact show dedicated in honour of Chinedu Nsofor and Prof. Emma Ezeani. The event was massively attended as the day was declared a Lecture Free day by the Faculty Administration. In recognition of his immense contributions to the empowement of UNN students and for his examplary leadership qualities, Chinedu Nsofor while still a student of UNN was honoured by many Institutions and Organizations, among which are: Most Political Student of UNN By the Nigerian Universities Engineering Students Association, The Most Popular Student Award by the National Association of Social Work Students UNN. UNN Most Acknowledged Personality of the Year By the Archeology Students Association of UNN, Leadership Excellence Award By Rotract Club of UNN, Meritorious Service Award By National Association of Social Work Students UNN. Spotlight Medalist on Entrepreneurship ( Big Brother Award) UNN Raiser of the Year. By Golden Heart Foundation Lagos, in conjunction with Trailblazers, his Profile was also published in the University of Nigeria Book of Fame: Who Is Who In UNN as an Outstanding Personality of UNN. Many years after graduating from UNN, the board, entire management and staff of the department of Social Work UNN where he graduated from, wrote him officially to notify him of the unanimous decision of the department to honour him with the Premier Alumni Award in recognition of his outstanding examplification of Social Work in the Society. This Award was bestowed on him in a very colourful Home Coming event of the department of social work in 2018. Chinedu Nsofor who is a Skilled Networker, Human Capacity Builder, Highly sought after Resource Person, A seasoned Project Management expert, Social Worker Per Excellence, Youth Mobilzer and Business Development Expert/ Consultant is always available for Consultations and strategic partnerships. The Work While In School Initiative which is a Masterpiece he designed to question the status quo, to challenge the minds and intelligence of our young people and to spark off creativity to the glory of God, outlines curriculum on Invention, Innovation, Development and Idea Creations, it position the hands to requisite skill acquisition in line with the respective courses of study; and challenges the student to embrace virtues and Godly principles that turn ordinary men into Principal People of all ages and generation. Upon Graduation from the University of Nigeria Nsukka with Second Class Upper Division and after successful completion of his Masters Degree Programme in Social Work at LAUTHEC. Chinedu Nsofor at a very young age of 26 years, secured a partnership with the Federal Government through his company; the Work While in School Ventures Ltd, to implement the Work While in School Programme in all the colleges of Education in Nigeria in collaboration with the National Commission for Colleges of Education and the Nsukka College of Education became the first college of Education that benefited from this very impactful programme, this is because of Chinedu’s strong inclinations to Nsukka through his beloved alma mater the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He had also earlier organized other very impactful Work While in School conferences in UNN during his National Youth Service Programme at the Presidency SURE-P, one of which was also a 7 day Conference that attracted the presence of the then Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Technical Matters who doubled as Secretary of the SURE-P Programme of the Federal Government; Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo. Indeed time would not permit to outline the so numerous impact Chinedu Nsofor made in the University of Nigeria Nsukka during and shortly after his undergraduate days to the glory of God!